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42-1060: The Illinois Synod joined the Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of America in 1848. Disagreements within the General Synod as to the binding character of the Lutheran Confessions caused a split, with the Illinois Synod joining with several other Lutheran synods to form the new General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America in 1867. However, in a meeting in Mount Pulaski, Illinois , in August 1867,

84-428: A convention to be held every two years. Member synods were entitled to send an equal number of clerical and lay delegates to conventions in proportion to the number of ministers belonging to each synod. For every ten ministers it possessed, a synod was awarded one additional clerical delegate and an equal number of lay delegates. An ordained minister was elected to preside over the convention as president. A secretary and

126-515: A development that was termed "American Lutheranism" or "New School Lutheranism". The Platform specifically sought to eliminate references to baptismal regeneration and the real presence. By the 1850s, however, Confessional Lutheranism was enjoying a resurgence. In 1864, the General Synod's constitution was amended to require synods to accept the Augsburg Confession as a correct presentation of fundamental doctrines. By 1913, all of

168-743: A meeting in Hagerstown, Maryland , in October 1820, the General Synod (formally titled the " Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of North America ") was founded. At the outset, this group consisted of the Pennsylvania Ministerium, along with the New York Ministerium and the Maryland-Virginia Synod. The General Synod served largely in an advisory function—each church body within

210-677: A minority of pastors and congregations of the Illinois Synod who wanted to remain in the General Synod withdrew from the synod and formed the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Central Illinois . In 1871, the Illinois Synod withdrew from the General Council due to the issue of the Four Points regarding the permissible forms of association with non-Lutheran churches and organizations. It then joined with other confessional Lutheran synods that either had withdrawn from

252-571: A predecessor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . By the time of the merger, the General Synod ranked third in size among the largest Lutheran bodies in America. In 1916, it reported 477,434 baptized members, 366,728 confirmed members, and 260,720 communicants . The early history of the General Synod has been characterized as one of loose commitment to Lutheran orthodoxy . Its constitution lacked references to

294-478: A result, its authority over member synods was limited by its constitution. The General Synod was responsible for adopting catechisms , liturgies or hymnals . The General Synod was also responsible for creating general boards to oversee the missionary and benevolent activities of the church, such as foreign and home missions. It could offer advice on doctrinal or disciplinary disputes when requested to by synods, congregations or ministers. The constitution required

336-604: A treasurer were also elected from among the deputies. Their term of office ended when the next convention met. Domestic missionary work was conducted by member synods. The General Synod sponsored foreign missions in Liberia and India, where it established the Arthur G. Watts Memorial College at Guntur in 1885. The Synod also sponsored a number of orphanages and nursing homes. Educational institutions included: The General Synod published two periodicals: The Lutheran Quarterly and

378-722: The American Civil War . In 1863, the southern synods were offended over Civil War resolutions passed by the General Synod. In response, they withdrew and formed a General Synod for the Confederate States of America (later renamed the United Synod of the South ). In 1866, the General Synod further split over theological issues when the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America

420-578: The Bible and the Lutheran confessions . Furthermore, distinctions were made between parts of the Augsburg Confession , with some parts deemed "fundamental" doctrines and others labeled "non-fundamental". Fundamental doctrines alone were required to be believed. Fundamental doctrines included biblical teachings with which other Protestants agreed, and the General Synod did stand in opposition to

462-640: The Lutheran Church Worker and Observer . Pennsylvania Ministerium The Pennsylvania Ministerium was the first Lutheran church body in North America . With the encouragement of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711–1787), the Ministerium was founded at a Church Conference of Lutheran clergy on August 26, 1748. The group was known as the "German Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of North America" until 1792, when it adopted

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504-889: The United Lutheran Church in America . Both the General Synod and the United Lutheran Church are predecessor bodies to the contemporary Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . The General Synod was organized in 1820 at Hagerstown, Maryland , as a union or federation of four regional synods : the Pennsylvania Ministerium , the North Carolina Synod, the New York Ministerium , and the Synod of Maryland and Virginia. The Pennsylvania Ministerium had suggested

546-681: The rationalism making inroads into other Lutheran bodies. The doctrines concerning baptismal regeneration and the real presence were rejected, however. In 1855, Samuel S. Schmucker , a supporter of revivalism and interdenominational agencies like the American Sunday School Union , proposed the Definite Synodical Platform . The Platform proposed revisions to the Augsburg Confession in order to make it more acceptable to American sensibilities, namely Calvinist and American evangelical theology,

588-591: The 20th century. In 1638, Swedish settlers, colonizing north along the Delaware River from the New Sweden colony, established residences in what would become Philadelphia , at a place called Wiccaco by the local Lenape tribe, meaning "pleasant place". These Swedish settlers were Lutherans . The Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church was completed in 1700. Colonization extended to present-day Trenton . German settlers began arriving in North America in

630-735: The Dutch Reformed model and by Muhlenberg's Pietism and did not insist on strict adherence to the Lutheran Confessions. During these early years, there were both German and Swedish pastors in the Ministerium. Members of the Ministerium could be found in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and even the Carolinas. In 1784, Frederick A. Muhlenberg (second son of the earlier patriarch) organized

672-728: The General Council or had declined to join it to establish the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America in 1872. At some point the Illinois Synod expanded its name to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Illinois and Other States as congregations in Missouri joined it. In the early years of the Synodical Conference, there was an effort to create unified synods for each state. The 1878 convention of

714-795: The Illinois Synod was an exception because it was located in the area assigned to the multi-state Missouri Synod. To that end, in May 1880, the Illinois Synod merged with the Illinois District of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod , while urging its congregations in Missouri to join the Missouri Synod's Western District. At the time of the merger, the Illinois Synod had 26 congregations, 23 pastors, and 6,004 communicant members. Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of

756-563: The Lutheran confessions had been officially adopted by the General Synod. While doctrines and practices contradicting the confessions were still tolerated in the General Synod, the moves toward a more orthodox and confessional position made a merger with the Lutheran General Council a real possibility. The General Synod was structured as a voluntary association of regional Lutheran church bodies called district synods. As

798-483: The Ministerium had seen enough. At the 1864 gathering of the General Synod, at which the Frankeans were admitted, the delegates from the Ministerium left in protest. The General Synod later passed a resolution affirming and strengthening their commitment to the Augsburg Confession . It is unclear whether the Ministerium members intended this to be a permanent break or a temporary protest, but it became permanent when

840-433: The Ministerium rejoined other Lutherans in the General Synod. However, this renewed relationship would be short-lived. As with many Protestant churches, the General Synod was split on the issue of the American Civil War in the 1860s. Yet this was not the biggest challenge to Lutheran unity in the middle of the 19th century. As the importance of the Lutheran Confessions grew among American Lutherans, Samuel Schmucker, who

882-484: The Synod retained its constitution and independence. The primary role of the Synod was to facilitate cooperation among the various church bodies. It was under the auspices of the General Synod, with the leadership of Samuel Simon Schmucker , that a Lutheran seminary and college were founded in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania . Despite its role in establishing the General Synod, the Pennsylvania Ministerium withdrew from

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924-667: The Synodical Conference voted in favor of establishing state synods. These state synods were to organize into two or three larger synods, one for the east (corresponding to the Ohio Synod ), one for the southwest (corresponding to the Missouri Synod ), and one for the northwest (which would include all congregations in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, and all parts west). This formed three larger synods, which solved

966-503: The United States of America The Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of America , commonly known as the General Synod , was a historical Lutheran denomination in the United States. Established in 1820, it was the first national Lutheran body to be formed in the U.S. and by 1918 had become the third largest Lutheran group in the nation. In 1918, the General Synod merged with other Lutheran denominations to create

1008-689: The colonies. A conference was proposed to create a closer union between the area congregations' preachers, elders, and deacons. The Pietist foundation at the University of Halle in Germany sent 24 clergy members to minister in the colonies in 1742. Among those sent was Henry Melchior Muhlenberg . A tension between pious and orthodox religious interpretations was present in Europe and North American Lutherans. The conference intentionally excluded congregations critical of pious interpretation. A conference

1050-619: The creation of a general synod two years earlier and took the lead in organizing it. The Joint Synod of Ohio and the Tennessee Synod refused to join, citing concerns that the new body would be too hierarchical . In 1823, the Pennsylvania Ministerium withdrew itself to pursue plans for a union with the Reformed churches in Pennsylvania based on the model of the Prussian Union of churches . The New York Ministerium, which

1092-559: The growing number of Lutheran congregations and clergy in the state of New York into the Ministerium of New York . Mindful of this and other Lutheran church bodies founded in North America, in 1792, the group in Philadelphia renamed itself "The Ministerium of Pennsylvania and Adjacent States". In 1818, the Pennsylvania Ministerium began talks of organizing the various Lutheran church bodies in America so that they could "stand in some or another in closer connection with one another". At

1134-532: The history of North American Lutheranism". Attendees came from Philadelphia, New Hanover, Providence, Germantown, Tulpehocken, Lancaster, Upper Milford, and Saccum congregations. The fifteenth Church Conference of 1762, led by Muhlenberg, was held at St Michael's Church, Philadelphia. Four Swedish and ten German preachers represented area congregations. Muhlenberg's influence went beyond those congregations he served; he organized other Lutheran congregations in Pennsylvania so that they might work in cooperation. Such

1176-437: The inter-Lutheran organization in 1823. There was a close relationship within the Ministerium between Lutheran and Reformed congregations, and many felt that the General Synod might jeopardize that relationship. In addition, many in the Ministerium were wary of a centralized organization and the control that it might exert over individual congregations. The Pennsylvania Ministerium remained an independent Lutheran church body in

1218-526: The longstanding concern that if either the Missouri or Ohio synods were allowed to keep their identity, they would dominate the rest of the Synodical Conference, or, even worse, the Minnesota or Wisconsin Synods would be forced to join one of them. This new organization did not apply to congregations speaking Norwegian, and English speaking congregations were to organize as separate district synods within one of

1260-561: The mid-17th century. They were particularly attracted by William Penn 's promise of religious freedom in what was then the colonial Province of Pennsylvania and came to the Philadelphia region in significant numbers. By 1683, the German population was large enough to form communities such as Germantown , which is now a neighborhood in Philadelphia . By the mid-18th century, there was a growing need for well-trained Lutheran clergy in

1302-399: The name "German Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania and Adjacent States" . The Pennsylvania Ministerium, also referred to as the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, was the source of the first Lutheran liturgy in America. Because of its unique place in the history of North American Lutheranism, the Ministerium continued to influence the church politics of Lutherans in America into

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1344-511: The officials at the next Gathering of the General Synod refused to admit delegates from the Ministerium. The Ministerium then found itself on its own. In 1864, unhappy with the direction of the General Synod and its seminary at Gettysburg, the Ministerium established a new seminary in Philadelphia, later known as the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia , and asked Charles Porterfield Krauth to head it. This

1386-492: The three larger synods In summary, all of the other synods which withdrew from the General Council to join the Synodical Conference ended in up the multi-state body currently known as the Wisconsin Synod following the geographical decisions of the convention that the synods located in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas and all parts west were to be free from the larger, multi-state Missouri and Ohio synods. But

1428-548: The years following. However, the Ministerium sought to maintain a relationship with the General Synod, including continuing to send its ministerial students to the General Synod's seminary in Gettysburg. In the following decades, the Ministerium became less concerned with its relationship with the Reformed church. It saw a significant increase in Lutheran identity and the importance of the Lutheran Confessions. Thus, in 1853,

1470-415: Was again assembled. At Muhlenberg's request, Lutheran pastors met in Philadelphia on August 26, 1748, for the first Church Conference. Six pastors and lay representatives from ten congregations attended the meeting, where they agreed to work together as the "ministerium of North America." They successfully adopted a common liturgy to be used in North America. This meeting has become "the most important event in

1512-456: Was assembled but was disrupted by the orthodox Swedish preacher Rev. Nyburg of the New Sweden colony. Tension around this conference extended beyond Pennsylvania. Open remarks from William C. Berkenmeyer against John C. Hartwick of New York were published in a booklet. His Swedish colleagues in Delaware criticized Carl M. Wrangel for having pietistic leanings. Five years later, a conference

1554-485: Was followed, in 1867, with the Ministerium being joined by 13 other church bodies in a more conservative and confessional organization known as the General Council . The Pennsylvania Ministerium remained a constituent church of the General Council from 1867 to 1917. In 1918, following the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Reformation , the three Lutheran church bodies of eastern America (the General Synod,

1596-486: Was formed by dissatisfied members of the General Synod. Before these secessions, the General Synod claimed 164,000 communicants . This was about two-thirds of the entire Lutheran population in America. The resulting numerical losses totaled 76,000 communicants. In 1918, the General Synod, the General Council and the United Synod of the South were reunited with the formation of the United Lutheran Church in America ,

1638-417: Was his influence that Muhlenberg became regarded to be "the patriarch of the Lutheran church in North America". The Ministerium remained a relatively informal association until a constitution was drafted and agreed upon in 1781. Along with a formal constitution, it adopted the name of the "German Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of North America". The churches of the ministerium followed a polity influenced by

1680-466: Was more at home with other Protestants in the country. The Definite Synodical Platform was not enough to cause the Pennsylvania Ministerium to leave the General Synod, but it was a foretaste of things to come. When the Frankean Synod , a Lutheran church body noted for its progressive politics and utter disregard for the Lutheran Confessions, was admitted to the General Synod, the leadership of

1722-492: Was once seen as confessionally conservative, found himself on the outside of the consensus of other Lutherans. In 1855, Schmucker, along with two other theologians from the Gettysburg seminary, penned the Definite Synodical Platform. This document downplayed the importance of the Confessions, suggesting an edited "American Recension" of the Augsburg Confession , and sought to establish a distinctly American Lutheranism that

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1764-420: Was started with the help of Johann Christopher Kunze , meanwhile, had ceased operations and would not become active again until 1837. Nevertheless, the second convention of the General Synod took place in 1823, with the newly established West Pennsylvania Synod becoming a member. Like many Protestant denominations, the General Synod was split over the issue of slavery and the political and military conflict of

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